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FYI it isn’t a cathedral. A cathedral is not a type of building, but the seat of the bishop (“cathedra” meaning “seat”). It is a common misconception that a cat

FYI it isn’t a cathedral. A cathedral is not a type of building, but the seat of the bishop (“cathedra” meaning “seat”). It is a common misconception that a cathedral is a grand church, since many cathedrals are, in fact, grand. Check out the Co-Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Juneau, Alaska to see a modest example. Sagrada Família is, however, a basilica which is a title of honor bestowed on churches by the pope.

roughly 1y ago
I did not know that! Thank you - updated, except for the quote from Orwell, who gets to show his ass even further thanks to your correction.
- mezod 1y ago
  are you sure Orwell wasn't referring to the actual Cathedral of Barcelona? (not Sagrada Familia)
  - roughly 1y ago
    It’s broadly agreed that he’s referring to Sagrada, yes - the omitted sentence in my quote is “it has four crenelated spires the exact shape of hock bottles.”
arethuza 1y ago
That had me puzzled because there is at least one church that was a cathedral in the "seat of a bishop" sense but hasn't been for hundreds of years but is still referred to as a cathedral: https://www.stgilescathedral.org.uk/ https://www.stgilescathedral.org.uk/ Ironically it is strongly associated with presbyterianism.